Flexible chain



April 9, 1929. G. BRANDT 15708,466

` FLEXIBLE CHAIN Filed Aug. 21, L 1928 Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES raraur orricn.

Geenen Baaiin'r, or New Yoan, n. Y., iissieiioa ro Benzene waren oasi:

or New YORK, ir. Y., .a oo

ooiarair, nronarron or New Yoan.

FLEXIBLE CHAIN'.

Application led August 21, 1.928. Serial No. 301,024.

This invention relates to a flexible chain construction and relates more particularly to an improved flexible chain adapted to be used as a bracelet or other 4similar article of Jewelry. l c

'lhe prime desideratum of my present invention4 centers about the provision of a flexible chain or bracelet embodying an organization of units and linkage members which may be constructed and assembled in a rapid and economical manner by automatic machinery without the necessity of employing' soldering, welding, or other similar time consuming operations.

A further prime object of the invention relates to the provision of a chain structure suitably adapted for use as a watch bracelet made up of inexpensive structural linkage members and units capable of being readily assembled into a strong and durable chain formation which, due to the substant1al savings in labor and material costs. involved, yields an inexpensive bracelet chain capable of being marketed at a low cost to the consumer.Y .f

A still further prime object of the invention-is directed to the provision of a chain formation which possesses the characteristics of attractive neatness, symmetry, strength, durability, flexibility in a number of directions, and uniformity of appearance.

To the accom lishment of the foregoing and such other o jects as will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the elements and their relation one to the other, as hereinafter more artieularly described and sought to be de ned in the claims; reference bein had to the accompanying drawings whic show the preferred embodiments of my invention, and in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the chain construction showing its use as a watch bracelet;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view thereof shown on an enlarged scale with parts shown in section Fig. 3 is a view taken in cross-section in the plane of the line 3 3, Fig. 2;

ig. 4 is a perspective view of the essential elements used in making up the chain with the parts thereof shown detached prior to assembly; A a

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View similar to Fig. 3 but of a modification thereof;

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, having reference first to Figs. 1 to 3 thereof wherein I show one form of construction that my invention may take, the flexible chain of the invention is shown to comprise a plurality or series of relatively elongated units a-a arranged in close transverse for mation and hollow at at least one of their ends and preferably at both of their ends, a plurality or series of linkage members blconnecting the units a in chain formation, said linkage members being received by the hollow ends of the units a and mating means generally designated as c formed integrally with the units and the linkage members for interlockingly assembling the units and members together into a chain construction.

Preferably the elongated units cb--a comprise relatively elongated tubular elements made of metal open at their opposite ends 10 and 1l, the said tubular elements or units desirably being rectangular in cross-sectional dimensions, as best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The tubular units -a-a are arranged in close formation with their side walls in substantially abutting relation, as clearly shown in the drawings, the construe-, tion and arrangement being such that the front and rear faces of the chain present a Isubstantially continuous appearance. 'The tubular elements a may be made by cutting standard tubing into the desired lengths.

The linkage members b-b each comprises a U-shaped element having a transverse connecting portion 12 and two leg portions 13 and 14 depending therefrom, the said leg portions 13 and 14 being received'by the open ends of the tubular units a-a at at least one side of the chain formation and preferably by both sides thereof, as shown in theexemf pliiication of the invention disclosed in the drawings. These U-shaped linkage members b-b are preferably blanked out of sheet metal to produce the conti uration best shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of the rawin'gs. To produce the desired flexibility of the chain construction, the width of each leg 13-14 is slightly less than one-half the Awidth of the 'receiving openings of the tubes a--a and the width of the space 15 between said le is slightly greater than the combined tlisck nesses of the abutting side walls of the tubes a-a, all as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The thickness of the sheet metal out of which the linkage blanks are'made is also slightly less than the depth of the open- 3 of the drawings.

linkage members so that no additional secure means for'the tu'ular elements.

ings of the tubesaf-d so that small clearances are provided, as clearly shown 1n Fig.

With this recited construction, the opposite legs of a linkage member are received by adjacent tubular units and adjacent legs of contiguously positioned linkage members are received by the same tubular unit, and .the assembly of these parts is such that the le s ofthe linkage members substantially `lill 'die tubular openings lwith clearances provided, however, suflicient to produce the desired iexibility. It will also be noted that the transverse connectingportions 12 of the linkage members define substantially continuous and neat edges for both -sides of the chain formation, smooth and con tinuous chain surfaces and edges being thus provided.

The interlocking means c for the hollow or tubularv units and linkage members are formed integrallywith the tubular units and ing elements 4are needed' and so that these units and members may be readily assembled and without the use lof soldering, welding or other time consuming operations. This interlocking means is furthermore so arranged and constructed asto minimize interference with the flexibility of the chain structure and is so positioned as to prevent any of the usage strains from being applied to the interlock-h `ing means, the result in construction beingv characterized thereby by strength, durability and optimum flexibility. One of the preferred ways of constructing this interlocking means is shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings. In this form of the invention the legs 13 and 14 of the linkage members are blanked out to provideoppositely positioned recesses 16 and 17 of substantially semi-square dimensions, vthe arrangement being such that contiguous recesses of the adjacent legs of ad jacent linkage members define substantially as clearly shown in Fig. 2

sguarel openings,

The tubular members a 1n o the drawings.

' turn are provided with stamped out teeth 18j-18 which are stamped up inwardly into mating relation with the square openings defined by adjacent recesses 16 and`17, as clearly shown inFigs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. 1n

the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the tubes a are first assembled with the linkage members b in the manner shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, and after vbeing assembled the burrs or teeth 18--18 are produced by means of 'a suitable die, the linkage members b servinor in this operation as filling v It will be noted'that the teeth 18 are produced on that side of the chain which 'forms the inside of the bracelet and are thus unexposedduring normal use of the bracelet chain.y

With the construction thus far described,

' it. will therefore be seen that the linkage members and the tubular units may be readg ily made from inexpensive stock and quickly assembled by'automatic machinery in a very facile manner and by quantity production methods.- It will, also be seen that the elements composing the chain` are locked together in assembled relation, the strains inci dent to use being applied at'regions vother 'than at the interlocking means. It Will further be seen that thelchain may be readily mended when desired by forcibly withdrawing the linkage members and reinserting the In this form of construction, however, the I teeth or burrs 18 may be formed prior to assembly of the chain and thelinkage members may be snapped into position in the asse1n hlinef operation, claimed ina divisional copen ing application.

To complete the .chain formation when used as a bracelet, an adjustable strap tightening buckle 20 of any approved construction may be used and the end units of the chain may be provided with means to which a wrist watch, such as 21, may be attached. One of such end units is shown in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings and may comprise a'tubular element 22 for receiving a fixture of the wristwatch, the said tubular element being provided with an integral tube section 23 of a 'width substantially one-half 'that of the tubea, the said tubular section 23 being provided with the struck in teeth 24-24 similar to those described for Figs. y6 and 7 o'f the drawings, these teeth cooperating with a special linkage member 25, one side of which is constructed after the. manner of the linkage members shown in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings and the vother side of which is constructed after the manner 'of the linkage members shown in l Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawingszl The manner of making and assembling the chain formation of my present invention and the many advantages thereof inthe course of manufacture and use will in the main be fully apparent from the above detailed description thereof. Itwill further be lapparent that while I have shown and described my invention in the preferred forms, many changes and modifications may be made in the strueture disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.

What I claim is: 4

1. A flexible chain comprising tubular units, linkage members connecting the tusaid openings.

moaeec bular units, said linkage members comprising sheet blanks each having a transverse connecting portion and depending leg portions, the leg portions being received by the tubular units and inserted therein at the opposite ends thereof, and means formed from a single face of the tubular units for interlocking the linkage members and the tubular units, the transverse connecting portions of the linkage members defining substantially continuous edges for the chain formation.

2. A flexible chain comprising tubular units, linkage members connecting the tubular units, said linkage members comprising blanks each having a transverse connecting portion and depending leg portions, the leg portions being received by the tubular units and inserted therein at at least one end thereof, said tubular units being provided on one face With stamped out portions interlocking with the leg portions of the linkage members.

3. A flexible chain comprising tubular units arranged in close and substantially continuous formation, Ushaped linkage members connecting the tubular units at their opposite ends, the legs of a linkage member being received by adjacent tubular units and adjacent legs of contiguous linkage members being received by the same tubular unit, and means interlocking the linkage members and tubular units, said interlocking means being formed from a single face of said tubular units, and said linkage members defining substantially continuous edges for the opposite sides of the chain.

4. A flexible chain comprising tubular Units arranged in close formation, U-shaped linkage members connecting the tubular units, the legs of a linkage member being received by adjacent tubular units and adjacent legs of contiguous linkage members being received by the same tubular unit, tooth elements stamped out of a single face of the tubular units, and means on the legs of said linkage members interlocking with said tooth elements.

5. A flexible chain comprising tubular units arranged in close formation, U-shaped linkage members connecting the tubular units, the legs of a linkage member being received by adjacent tubular units and adjacent legs of contiguous linkage members being received by the same tubular unit, the legs of the members being provided with recesses, recesses of adjacent legs defining an enclosed opening, and tooth members struck out from said units engaged in and interlocking with 6. A Hexible chain comprising tubular units arranged in close formation, U-shaped linkage members connecting the' tubular units, the legs of the linkage members being received by adjacent tubular unit-s and adjacent legs of contiguous linkage members being received by the same tubular unit, recesses on the legs of said linkage members, and indentations stamped in the tubular units each of which engages the recesses in the adjacent legs of contiguous linkage members for inter-locking said linkage members and said tubular units.

7. A flexible chain comprising tubular units which are substantially rectangular in cross-section and arranged in close formation, U-shaped linkage members connecting the tubular units, the legs of the linkage members being received by adjacent tubular units and adjacent legs of contiguous linkage members being received by the same tubular unit, recesses on the legs of said linkage members and indentations stamped in the tubular units each of which engages the recesses in the adjacent legs of contiguous linkage members for inter-locking said linkage members and said tubular units.

8. A flexible chain comprising tubular units Which are substantially rectangular in cross-section and arranged in close formation, U-shaped linkage members connecting the tubular units, the legs of a linkage member being received by adjacent tubular units and adjacent legs of contiguous linkage members being received by the same tubular unit, the legs of the members being provided with re cesses, recesses of adjacent' legs defining an enclosed opening, and detent indentations struck out from said tubular units engaged in and inter-locking with said openings.

9. A flexible chain comprising tubular units arranged in close formation, U-shaped linkage members inserted in the tubular units along at least one side of the chain forman tion, the legs of linkage members being received by adjacent tubular units and adjacent legs of contiguous linkage -members being received bythe same tubular unit, a common detent indentation stamped out of each tubular unit, and means on the adjacent legs of said linkage members within each of said units for inter-locking With the common detent indentation thereof.

10. A ilexible chain comprising tubular units, linkage members connecting the tubular units, said linkage members comprising sheet blanks each having a transverse connecting portion and depending leg portions, the leg portions being received by the tubular units and inserted therein at at least one end thereof, said tubular units being provided with stamped out portions commonly interlocking with both of the leg portions of 'the adjacent linkage members inserted therein.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York this 10 day of August, A. D. 1928.

@nenes nnannr. 

